Herron Audio VTSP-360 ESP is absolutely superb - do some online searches on gear from Herron Audio; I just got a phono preamp and a line-stage preamp from Keith Herron, and yeah, his gear really is as good as everybody goes on about, and he's a pleasure to correspond with....
Reccomend a good preamp for me.
I have nixed the preamp for a while now with using only a DCS Rossini DAC going direct. I have that in the back of my room and a 10M pair of balanced cables that run to my various amps I use. I have been getting back into vinyl again and even a cassette player so I am in need of a preamp that will have at least one balanced input and 2 more RCA inputs. I have been trying different amps and speakers lately also and think I will land on some kind of lower powered tubes and higher efficiency speakers. I used to have a few nice preamps years ago and I always remember thinking the preamp was a big piece of the puzzle the heart maybe of the system. PS Audio BHK looks good maybe or a Pass Preamp? I'm out of the loop on preamps.
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I can highly recommend Concert Fidelity CF-080LSX2. Masataka can make one of the inputs and outputs balanced. It is one of the most neutral preamps. It allows easy tube rolling. https://positive-feedback.com/Issue41/concert_fidelity.htm |
I've owned a LOT of Preamps in my years of being involved in Audio...including EAR 912. Truthfully...wouldn"t trade any of them for the BLACK ICE F360 I currently have in my System. As a line stage it is stellar. I use the Balanced outputs to run 20ft of cable to my KR842VHD based monoblocs with no problem at all. |
@co93 I have a Benchmark HPA4 (same as the LA4) in an all BM stack. How does your LA4 compare with the ARC and Boulder preamps? I have a CODA 07x preamp shipped today to me and I am looking forward to comparing the HPA4 to the 07x. I love the HPA4 and consider it the best BM product I own. The HPA4 and LA4 are almost certain to be quieter than any gear hooked up to them so the statement about "no preamp" maybe appropriate with these 2 preamps. |
Personally I don’t subscribe to the "best preamp is no preamp" idea. A great preamp is the heart of a fine system. For many reasons."A great preamp is the heart of a fine system. For many reasons." Please give the "many" technical reasons, not poetic reasons, for this compared to "best preamp is no preamp idea." Cheers George |
I'm a little puzzled when new threads on this topic come up, as it seems to me that it's been discussed at length. Of course, I'm biased. I own a Supratek. Here's a suggestion - go up to the top of this amps - preamps forum and click on the tab for "all time most popular threads". At the TOP of that tab you will find the "preamp deal of the century" thread. This thread is decades old, with 26 million page views. It is about the budget Supratek preamp. It is a killer. Other than that, I second the recommendation for the Don Sachs model 2. I like small, boutique builders. Maybe check out Emmanuel Go and his "First Sound" line. I like hand built, point to point wiring, obsessive engineering. But that's just me. There's a lot of good ones out there. But there are many other *very fine* recommendations on this thread. Personally I don't subscribe to the "best preamp is no preamp" idea. A great preamp is the heart of a fine system. For many reasons. |
Hi there. I see we have a couple of inquiries this week for high end prees. I'll share what I said in my response to the other member. I had the ARC 40th Anniversary, followed by the ARC Ref 10 and then auditioned the BAT and CAT counterparts, as well as the Soulution 725. I landed on the Octave Jubilee Preamp because it was so much better than the rest. It's stellar. A hybrid design (SS power supply and tubed line stage). You don't need to be into tube-rolling with the Jubilee, but if you ever want to scratch that itch then sonic fine tuning and flexibility can be very rewarding and fun. Something SS prees can't offer - like the full meat on the bone palpable presentation with the transient speed and dynamic range of the best SS offerings. |
My Shindo Monbrison is probably my favorite piece of audio equipment I've ever owned. I've used it with a lot of different amps (all tubes, some SETs, an OTL, and some push-pulls, none of them Shindo amps) and it has been fantastic with all of them. I don't think I'll ever part with it, unless I'm able to go up the chain with another Shindo preamp. |
@ejlif The problem you have is that you need to drive long cables. That means that all passive control systems are out. It also means single-ended preamps are out. You need a balanced line preamp, and further, one that can drive long cables. You might think that 'because its balanced it can drive long cables' but its not as simple as that. To do that, there are a number of hurdles that the preamp must clear and most in high end audio do not. There is a standard for balanced line operation; most high end manufacturers either ignore it or worse, don't seem to be aware that it exists. Its called 'AES48'. If your preamp supports AES48, driving the long interconnects is a walk in the park, and the cost of the cable won't amount to anything with regards to the sound quality. So when you look at these suggestions and talk to manufacturers, ask if their preamp supports the standard. If they don't know about it, or don't know, that is telling you that they do not. I think there are four preamps suggested so far that support the standard. They are the Dan Sachs preamp (when used with its output transformer to produce a balanced output), the Benchmark and the two Atma-Sphere preamps. There may be others- ask the manufacturer when investigating! |
First a disclaimer: I make no claim for being a highly informed "stereophile". I've owned McCormack audio gear for over 20 years. Steve McCormack is a very highly regarded audio designer. He now runs his operation as "SMc Audio" in CA. While still designing new gear, he also does lots of upgrading of his older, discontinued models. My suggestion would be to pick up one of his TLC-1 passive, line-drive preamps, which can be found for under $1K and have his guy, Pat, upgrade it. They rebuild to your exact requirements; sonic and budgetary. Great to work with. They just upgraded/rebuilt my DNA 0.5 amp; incredible results! |
I would consider these in order of increasing price: Backert Labs preamps Luxman CL38uC (probably best bang for buck with phono built-in) Luxman CL1000 Nagra Jazz Nagra Classic Preamp Shindo Vosne Romanee Given your listening preferences, stick to a tube preamp, and no matter what anyone says (believe me I have tried for years), get an active preamp, again tube preferably. |
I haven't heard this but Terry London (he posts here) really liked this: https://spl.audio/en/spl-produkt/elector/ It's what I've been dreaming of, along with their matching amp. Here's Terry's review as well: http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/sound-performance-lab-spl-elector-preamp--performer-s800-amplifier-and--m1000-monos-by-terry-london/ All the best, Nonoise |
@fastfreight, "The comments about the Benchmark are ironic to me; It measures great and imparts nothing to the music. But (to me) the audionet stuff provides much better soundstage and imaging, with amazing resolution." Honest question: Have you done a direct comparison with the LA4 / audionet in your system? What amps and speakers? The LA4 is pretty low gain so maybe it doesn't mate up well with your amps? I'm not tryout to justify the LA4. Even though I am delighted with the Benchmark, perhaps I should look at the audionet. |
ModWright Instruments is definitely staff to think about. If you want to go full truly balanced, the LS 36.5 is the way to go... LS-100 is single ended but also has XLRs in and outs with bunch of RCAs... Modwright is made in US... easy upgradable, modification friendly staff... personally I’m very satisfied with my LS-100...for me it was big upgrade in SQ moving from Parasound preamp. |
I just got a Cary SLP-05. they are having a heck of a sale at Cary Direct. If you like tubes, you will love the SLP-05. It is on sale for $2,250. off. https://carydirect.com/shop-now/preamplifiers/slp-05.html |
I also have replaced my PS Audio BHK Pre. First with the Audionet Pre1-G3, which afforded more clarity and resolution, and a better image. I have now upgraded to the Audionet Pre G2, with even more of the same virtues. The comments about the Benchmark are ironic to me; It measures great and imparts nothing to the music. But (to me) the audionet stuff provides much better soundstage and imaging, with amazing resolution. Is that adding something to the music? Imaging? Yes and no. It does not 'color' the music in any way. But it sounds better! |
I replaced my PS Audio BHK with a Benchmark LA4. Great move for me. The gain of the BHK is significant, resulting in noise with 6 and 7 volt tubes in my efficient system (might not be a problem with less efficient speakers and lower powered amps). The Benchmark is spooky good - absolutely silent, imaging and low level detail improved significantly. |
If your budget can handle it, I highly recommend the McIntosh C49. Besides the excellent and upgradable DA1 digital module, it has two balanced inputs, two balanced outputs, and 3 pairs of RCA in’s and out’s. Two of the RCA out’s are variable and one is fixed. It has phono inputs for MM and MC and they have user adjustable parameters specific to the cartridge type to get the best possible performance. All the inputs can be named for the device using them, and unused inputs can be deleted. The level of the incoming signal can also be set for each device so that all operate at the same level. The C49 also has bass, treble and balance controls with a bypass. All this is accessed by the two control knobs and a blue dot matrix screen. The icing on the cake is a wonderfully functional remote with a volume control that is actually useable, and allows access to all the functions. |
The PS Audio BHK preamp is a fine unit with many inputs and flexibility of sound via the tubes. The Coda 07X is the best preamp I have discovered thus far in terms of inputs, outputs and gain level settings per input. it doesn’t take up much space and generates minimal heat. The Schiit Freya+ is also ridiculously good and fun to operate. As far as bang for the buck, it’s tough to beat. Tubes, no tubes balanced, unbalanced, it’s got ya covered. 5 inputs and 3 outputs, quite nice indeed. |
Go to a brick and mortar store and listen to it. Go to Stereophile and The Absolute Sound's website and find out what they recommend. Their reviews and description is better than any 5 line description here - mine included, hah!. Then think about your budget, and the sound you like. Stay away from "vintage" high end gear (i.e., Levinson, Krell, etc.) that has not been serviced, and that has not had all the old capacitors replaced. If you must buy vintage high end gear, look on a website like George Meyer's site. He's an authorized Krell fixer-upper in the SoCal area. In any case, happy hunting! |
